Wire-drawing appliance.



J. H. BEECH.

WIRE DRAWING APPLIANCE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 15, 1912.

Patented Jan. 13, 1914.

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WIRE DRAWING APPLIANCE. APPLICATION FILED r1212 15, 1912.

1,084,110 Patented Jan. 13, 1914.

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Patented Jan. 13, 1914.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JUAN H. REECE, OF JOLIET, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR 'IO HUMPI-IREY & SONS, OFJULIET, ILLINOIS, A COIEARTNERSHIP.

WIRE-DRAWING APPLIANCE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 13, 1914.

Application filed February 15, 1912. Serial No. 677,759.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, JUAN H. Enron, a c 1t1-zen of the United States, residing at Joliet, in the county of Will andState of Illino1s, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inlVire-Drawing Appliances, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates more particularly to the arrangement andconstruction of the stand carrying the wire die, and to certain safetyappliances which control the movements of the wire-drawing block.

The principal object of the invention is to locate a safety appliance atthe front of the bench of the appliance, which will be connected to andoperate the mechanism wh ch governs the rotation of the wire-drawingblock, whereby, when said safety appliance is operated, the rotation ofsaid block will cease.

Another object of the invention is to so construct the die-stand thatwhen the tension which is created by the operation of drawing the wireis relieved from said stand, means will act to operate the governingmechanism and stop the rotation of the block.

A further ob'ect of the invention is to provide means or looking thedie-carrying port-ion of the die stand in position while the wire isbeing threaded therethrough, and to so arrange the connection betweenthe governing mechanism and the locking means that the locking means forholding said stand in position must be withdrawn from operative positionbefore the drum can be started, thus insuring that the stand is held inposition after the drawing operation commences, solely by the tensioncreated by the drawing of the wire.

The invention further consists in the features of construction andcombination of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation showing the die-stand of thepresent invention in operative position with respect to a wire drawingblock or drum; and showing a portion of the stand upon which the variousmechanisms are mounted; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the die-stand;Fig. 3, a front view of the stand; Fig. 4, a plan view of the stand;Fig. 5, a plan view showing the housing carrying the die removed; andshowing the support for the die-stand swung into position to carry thedie out of drawing position; Fig. 6 is a View similar to Fig. 2, showingthe movable portion of the stand swung into the position shown in Fig.5; Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 2, taken from the opposite side ofthe stand; Fig. 8 is a section on line 8-8 of Fig. 7 looking in thedirection of the arrow; and Fig. 9 is a detail, partly in section, ofthe housing containing the die, and showing the connection of saidhousing to its support.

111 the art to which the present invention relates, it is customary toconstruct the wiredrawing blocks or drums so that they are tripped bysuitable mechanism and thrown into clutch with a power-driven element,whereby they are rotated. Various means are employed for effecting thistripping operation, a very good method being compressed air acting onsuitably arranged pistons which will effect the raising and lowering ofthe block to accomplish the clutching operation. The present inventionis well adapted to a mechanism employing compressed air for thispurpose, although it is not limited to a use in conjunction with suchmechanism. It is necessary, in devices of this kind, to employ certainsafetyappliances to protect the operator of the machine from being drawninto the block; that is, the hands or clothing of the operator sometimesbecome entangled in the wire, with the result that they are carriedalong with it and are thrown violently against the swiftly revolvingblock, resulting, in nearly every instance, in the severing of a hand orarm.

One of the main features of the present invention is to provide a safetyappliance to prevent accidents of this kind.

Another source of danger arising from the use of these wire-drawingappliances arises from the wire breaking and the free end of the wirebeing swung around swiftly by the action of the drawing block, resultingin injury to the workman either at that bench or at the adjacentbenches. This is also true where the workman is not paying properattention to the machine and allows the end of the wire to pull throughthe die without stopping the machine. This would obviously result in thewhipping of the free end of the wire through the air, resulting manytimes in serious injury to the operator. The present invention is soarranged that the breaking of the wire or the passing of the,

end of the wire through the die will relieve the die-stand of thetension placed thereon by the wire-drawing operation, allowing certainmechanism to act and throw the means governing the rotation of the blockinto position to stop such rotation.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to Fig. 1, a bench 10 isshown, which can be of any suitable size and construction, upon the topof which is mounted a wiredrawing block or drum 11 of any suitable type.Means for revolving the drum are shown in Fig. 1, which means are fullyshown and described in Letters Patent No. 961319, granted to H. B.Humphrey June 14c, 1910. Said means are therefore not claimed as aportion of the present invention, but are simply shown as illustratingone method of actuating the block; and the invention is understood notto be limited in any way to use with the mechanism for operating theblock shown. Secured to one of the sides of the bench is a die-stand 12,the construction and arrangement of which constitutes the gist of thepresent invention. This die-stand comprises a fined portion 13 and amovable portion let. The fixed portion in the form shown consists of aplatelike framework 15, adapted to be secured by suitable fasteningmeans to the bench. Said plate is provided with suitable portions 16,which provide a mounting for a stem 17, said stem being held againstrotative movement in said bearings, and surrounding said stem is aspring 18, the purpose of which will be more fully hereinafterexplained. The stem 17 provides an axial center for a movable plate 19,as is best shown in Fig. 5.

The plate 19 has attached thereto, by a suitable fastening member 20,best shown in Fig. 9, a casting 21, which is provided with ears 22,between which is mounted a casing 23 adapted to carry a suitable die,not shown. A stem 24 is mounted in the ears 22, and said casing moves upand down about said stein as a pivotal center. The casing is normallyheld upward and out of drawing position through the medium of a coilspring 25 mounted within a sleeve 26, this latter construction beingbest shown in Fig. 9. The plate 19, as will be seen from a study of Fig.7, is formed with a downwardly depending portion 27, which serves togive a firm mounting and support to said plate upon the stem 17. Thecoil spring 18 has one end bearing against said depending portion, aswill be clearly seen in Fig. 3, and hence exerts its strength to swingthe plate 19 and the parts carried thereby about the stem 17, holdingthem normally in the position shown in Fig. 5. It will be readily seenthat such parts as are affected by the movements of the plate 19 may besaid to constitute the movable portion of the die-stand.

Mounted within suitable guide members,

and lying just below the plate 19, is a slidable member 28, terminatingat one end in a head 29, and at the opposite end in gripper jaws 30 saidhead, member and jaws constituting a safety appliance, which, however,is not claimed as a portion of the present invention. The principle ofoperation of this safety appliance briefly is as follows: if theoperator is drawn against the head 29, the slidable member 28 will beforced inward, closing the jaws 30, which will act to sever the wire,thus preventing its further progress, and eliminating the danger of theoperator being drawn into the block. This appliance, however, is onlyoperative in case the operator should be drawn inward against the frontof the stand, and furthermore does not actuate in any way to stop therotation of the drawing block.

Referring particularly to Fig. 8, a rock shaft 31 is shown, whichextends to the out side of the die-block and terminates in a handle orolfset portion 32. By referring to Fig. at, it will be seen that thishandle eX- tends beyond the diestand and lies to the side thereof. Therock shaft 31 is mounted in suitable bearings 33 attached to the fixedportion of the die-stand, said shaft carrying an arm 34, which isadapted to be connected in any suitable manner to the mechanism whichgoverns the rotation of the dieblock. Said mechanism, as stated, isshown in Letters Patent No. 961,.t49, granted to H. B. Humphrey June 11, 1910, and is not claimed as a portion of the present invention. Itmay be stated, however, that the arm 34; is connected to a link 34,which in turn is connected to a valve 34 which controls the passage ofpressure to a motor 34, which operates a yoke 34 to control the rotationof the block, as is fully described in the above mentioned LettersPatent. At the opposite end of the shaft 31 from that upon which thehandle 32 is formed is a lug 35, which, as will be clearly seen byreferring to Fig. 2, underlies a pivoted latch or detent 36, which latchor detent is formed with a notch 37 adapted to engage with a pin or bolt38 carried by the plate 19. It may be stated at this time that both thelatch and bolt are actuated entirely by gravity, and that no springs areutilized to effect their operation. As is shown by dotted lines in Fig.2, the bolt 38 is provided with a head 39, and is prevented fromdisplacement by means of a suitably threaded stem 40, although thisparticular construction of bolt is not absolutely essential to thecarrying out of the present invention. The rock shaft is furtherprovided with a lug 11, best shown in Fig. 7, which is adapted to beengaged by a lug or boss 42 on the downwardly depend ing port-ion 27.

The operation of the mechanism briefly is as follows: hen wire is to bethreaded through the die, the movable portion of the die-stand is swunginto the position shown in Fig. 2, which is the proper position for itto assume in order to perform the wiredrawing operation. The rock shaft31 is then swung to position the lug 35 in proper place to raise andhold the latch. in position where it will engage with the bolt 38, thisposition being shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2. After the stand has beenthus locked in position, the wire can be threaded into the die and thedevice is ready for operation, but before the drum 11 can startrevolving to draw the wire, the rock shaft 31 must be swung so as toplace the latch 36 and the lug 35 into the position shown in full linesin Fig. 2. This removes the locking means, namely, the latch 36, whichhad held the movable portion of the die-stand in drawing position; andthereafter this movable portion is held in drawing position solelythrough the instrumentality of the pressure incident to the wire passingtherethrough. YVhen the rock shaft 31 is moved to release the latch 36from engaging or locking position, the lug 4:1 is thrown into theposition shown in Fig. 7, and the handle 32 is thrown into the positionshown in Fig. 41, where it is lying away from the face of the bench.When the parts are in this position, as heretofore stated, the block isrevolving and wire is being drawn. If an operator should lean over theside of the die-stand to feel of the wire passing out from the die, tosee whether it was burred or not, and if he should become entangled inthe drawn wire, the tendency would be to throw him up against the sideof the die-stand and against the handle 32. This would swing said handleto the position shown in Fig. 5 and operate the arm 34; to actuate thecontrolling means for the block to stop the rotation of said block andthe feed of the wire, which necessarily would act to prevent theoperator from being drawn against the block and thus sustain injury.Under these conditions the rock shaft 31 moves entirely independ ent ofany movement of the die-stand, and, so far as actuation of this safetyappliance is concerned, the position or arrangement of the die-stand isimmaterial. There are two methods, however, of actuating the rock shaftto stop the rotation of the drum. The first has just been described. Thesecond is as follows: As heretofore stated, the movable portion of thestand is held in drawing position by the tension of the wire passingtherethrough. If this tension is relieved, either by the breaking of thewire or the passing of the end of the wire through the die, the spring18 will instantly act to swing the movable portion of the die-stand intothe position shown in Fig. 5, and such movement will cause the lug 42 tostrike the lug 41, rocking the shaft 31 and stopping the rotation of theblock and the feed of the Wire, thus eliminating the danger which arisesfrom the whipping through the air of the loose or free end of the wire.

By the arrangement of locking mechanism for the movable portion of thediestand, which has just been described, it is an impossibility to startthe wire-drawing operation without first setting all these safetyappliances in operative position.

In addition to the dangers enumerated when the wire breaks, a furtherdanger may result from the wire flying and becoming entangled in theblock next adjacent.

I claim:

1. In a wire drawing appliance, the combination of a bench, a wiredrawing block mounted thereon, means for rotating said block, a diestand comprising a fixed section detachably secured to said bench and amovable section mounted on said fixed section, means for actuating saidmovable section after the strain incident to the passing of the wirethrough the die has been relieved, a shiftable member carried by thefixed section and arranged in the path of n'lovement of the movablesection and shifted by contact therewith, means for controlling therotation of said block, and a connection between the shiftable memberand rotating means whereby the shifting of said 1nember stops therotation of said block, substantially as described.

2. In a wire drawing appliance, the combination of a wire drawing block,means for rotating said block, a movable die carrier, means for movingsaid carrier after the strain incident to the passing of wire throughthe die has been relieved, means for controlling the rotation of saidblock, a shiftable member movable independent of the die carrier andhaving its extremity eX- tending to the outside of said die carrier andforming a safety member, a connection between said shiftable member andsaid rotating means, and said shiftable member be ing located in thepath of travel of the die carrier and actuated by contact therewith,substantially as described.

3. In a wire drawing appliance, the com bination of a wire drawingblock, means for rotating said block, means actuated by a medium underpressure for controlling the rotation of said block, means for governingthe flow of said medium, a die stand, a shift able member extendingbeyond the die stand and constituting a safety device, and a connectionbetween said shiftable member and governing means, substantially asdescrioed.

4:. In a wire drawing appliance, tie coinbination of a wire drawingblock, means for governing the rotation of said block, a die standcomprising a fixed section and a movable section, a movable membersupported by the fixed section and having its extrenr ity extending tothe outside of the die stand and providing a safety member, a connectionbetween said movable member and governing means, and said movable memberbeing located in the path of travel of the movable section and moved byengagement with said movable member into position to stop the rotationof said block, substantially as described.

In a wire t ra-wing appliance, the combination of a wire drawing block,means for rotating said block, means for governing the rotation of saidblock, a die stand comprising a fixed section and a movable section, ashiftable member carried by said fixed sec tion, a connection betweensaid shiftable member and governing means, said movable section beingheld out of normal position by the tension of the wire passing throughthe die, said shiftable member having a portion thereof extending to theoutside of the die stand and forming a safety appliance, said memberbeing movable independent of the movable section of the die stand andarranged in the path of travel of said movable section, whereby it isactuated by engagement with the movable section, substantially asdescribed.

6. In a wire drawing appliance, the combination of a bench, a wiredrawing block mounted thereon, means for rotating said block, means forcontrolling said rotation, a die stand comprising a fixed sectiondetachably secured to said bench and a movable section mounted in thefixed section, a rock shaft carried by the fixed section, and aconnection between said rock shaft and controlling means, said movablesection being held in drawing position by the strain incident to thewire drawing operation, said rock shaft being actuated by engagementwith said movable section when said section is returned to normalposition to stop the rotation of the drum, substantially as described.

7. In a wire drawing appliance, the combination of a wire drawing block,means for rotating said block, means for controlling said. rotation, adie stand comprising a fixed section and a movable section, a rock shaftcarried by the fixed section, and a. connection between said rock shaftand controlling means, said movable section being held in drawn positionby the strain incident to the wire drawing operation, said rock shaftbeing actuated by said movable section, when said section is returned tonormal position, whereby the rotation of the drum is arrested, the endof said shaft extending to the out side of said stand, and said shaftbeing movable irrespective to the position of said movable section,substantially as described.

8. In a wire-drawing appliance, the combination of a wire-drawing block,means for rotating said block, means for governing said rotation, adie-stand comprising a fixed section and a movable section, a shiftablemember, a connection between the shift-able member and governing means,a. latch for holding the movable section in drawing po sition, aconnection between said latch and shift-able member, whereby said latchis thrown out of locking position when said shiftable member is throwninto position to actuate the governing mechanism to rotate the block,and means for actuating said shiftable member when said movable sectionis thrown out of drawing position, to stop the rotation of said block,substantially as described.

9. In a wire-drawing appliance, the combination of a wire-drawing block,means for rotating said block, means for governing said rotation, adie-stand, a rock shaft carried by said stand and extending to theoutside thereof, an offset on the extended portion of said rock shaft,and a connection between said rock shaft and governing means,substantially as described.

10. In a wire drawing appliance, the combination of a bench, a wiredrawing bloclt thereon, means for rotating said block, means forgoverning said rotation, a die stand comprising a fixed sectiondetachably secured to said bench, and a movable section mounted in thefixed section, a rock shaft carried by the fixed section and means forshifting said movable section out of drawing position when the movablesection is relieved of the tension incident to the wire drawingoperation, said rock shaft being actuated by contact with said movablesection, when said section is thrown out of drawin position, whereby thegoverning means are moved and the rotation of the block arrested,substantially as described.

11. In a wire drawing appliance, the combination of a bench, a wiredrawing block mounted thereon, means for rotating said block, means forgoverning the rotation of said block, a die stand comprising a fixedsection detachably secured to said bench and a movable section mountedin said fixed section, a rock shaft carried by the fixed section,tension mechanism for shifting said movable section out of drawingposition when the movable section is relieved of the tension incident tothe wire drawing operation and a protuberance on the movable sectionadapted to engage and rock said shaft when said section is thrown out ofdrawing position, whereby the rotation of said block is stopped,substantially as described.

12. In a wire-drawing appliance, the combination of a wire-drawing blocmeans for rotating said block, means for governing the rotation of saidblock, a die-stand comprising a fixed section and a movable section, arock shaft latch mechanism controlled by said rock shaft, for holdingthe movable section in drawing position, said shaft when moved toposition to start the block throwing the latch mechanism out of lockingposition, means for throwing said movable section out of drawingposition when the tension is relieved from the wire being drawn, andmeans for actuating said rock shaft when said movable section is thrownout of drawing position, to stop the rotation of the drum, substantiallyas described.

13. In a wire-drawing appliance, the combination of a wire-drawingblock, means for rotating said block, means for governing the rotationof said block, a die stand comprising a fixed section and a movablesection, a rock shaft, latch mechanism controlled by said rock shaft,for holding the movable section in drawing position, said shaft whenmoved to position to start the block throwing said latch out of lockingposition, tension mechanism for throwing said movable section out ofdrawing position when the tension is relieved from the wire being drawn,and a protuberance on said movable section, adapted to engage said shaftwhen said section is thrown out of drawing position, to stop therotation of the block, substantially as described.

14e. In a wire-drawing appliance, the combination of a wire-drawingblock, means for rotating said block, means for governing said rotation,a die-stand comprising a fixed section and a movable section, a rockshaft, means for shifting said movable section out of drawing positionwhen the movable section is relieved of the tension incident to thedrawing operation, said rock shaft being actuated when said movablesection is thrown out of drawing position, to move the governing meansand stop the rotation of the block, and an offset on the end of saidshaft, lying to the outside of the diestand and constituting a safetymember, substantially as described.

15. In a wiredrawing appliance, the combination of a wire-drawing block,means for rotating said block, means for governing the rotation of saidblock, a die-stand comprising a fixed section and a movable section, arock shaft, latch mechanism controlled by said rock shaft, for holdingthe movable section in drawing position, said shaft when moved toposition to start the block throw ing the latch mechanism out of lockingposition, means for throwing said movable section out of drawingposition when the tension is relieved from the wire being drawn, meansfor actuating said rock shaft when said movable section is thrown out ofdraw ing position, to stop the rotation of the drum, and an offset onthe end of said shaft, lying to the outside of the die-stand andconstituting a safety member, substantially as described.

16. In a wire-drawing appliance, the combination of a wire-drawingblock, means for rotating said block, means for governing the rotationof said block, a die-stand comprising a fixed section and a movablesection, a rock shaft, latch mechanism controlled by said rock shaft,for holding the movable section in drawing position, said shaft whenmoved to position to start the block throwing said latchout of lockingposition, ten sion mechanism for throwing said movable section out ofdrawing position when the tension is relieved from the wire being drawn,a protuberance on said movable section, adapted to engage said shaftwhen said section is thrown out of drawing position, to stop therotation of the block, and an offset on the end of said shaft, lying tothe outside of the die-stand and constituting a safety member,substantially as described.

JUAN H. REEGE.

Witnesses:

Lnwrs W'. CONNELL, "W. J. ROBINSON.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

